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Because of Demark's relatively small population (5.8 million), a well-monitored universal healthcare system, and a high degree of testing, Denmark's ability to track both the spread of COVID and the impact of vaccines is among the best in the world.
As a result, Denmark's SSI (Statens Serum Institut) has provided us with some of the earliest, and most accurate, assessments on emerging variants, reinfection rates, and vaccine effectiveness, including:
Denmark SSI: COVID Cases Jump 73% In Epi Week 42
Denmark: SSI Reports Early Signs That COVID Booster Shots Are Lowering Nursing Home Infections
Denmark SSI: Increased Breakthrough Infections With Delta Variant
Denmark: Three SSI COVID Variant Reports; Two On Delta, 1 On AlphaYesterday the SSI updated their COVID vaccine breakthrough numbers, and while more than 22,000 infections have been reported in fully vaccinated individuals, that is out of more than 4 million residents who have been fully vaccinated.
That number will likely rise over time - depending upon uptake of booster shots - but it does show that the vaccines provide significant protection against infection, and particularly serious illness and death.Or about 1 breakthrough infection for every 200 vaccinated people.
The full report (Covid-19 – infektioner efter vaccination og vaccineeffektivitet) is in Danish, but I've translated the opening remarks, followed by a brief (translated) summary from the SSI.
Covid-19 - infections after vaccination and vaccine effectiveness
On Sunday 27 December 2020 (week 52), the first Dane was vaccinated against covid-19. The rollout of vaccines have been around since then, and at the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) they are constantly monitored the vaccination effort and its significance for the transmission of the disease.
This report describes the incidence of covid-19 infections in vaccinated individuals. Among other things, on number of cases, age groups, hospitalizations and deaths after first vaccination, second vaccination and after expected full effect of the vaccines. In addition, updated data on vaccine efficacy are presented.
On SSI's website you can read more about approved vaccines against covid-19, vaccine technologies and vaccine efficacy. Daily statements about the vaccination connection can be found on SSI's vaccination dashboard. The National Board of Health also publishes ongoing status reports on vaccination efforts, in which man i.a. can read about the organization and vaccination affiliation divided into the individual target groups.
Vaccinations are an important and effective tool for preventing and limiting the incidence of disease. The effectiveness may vary between the different vaccines, and no vaccine is 100% effective compared to prevent infection. The effectiveness of covid-19 vaccines is generally high, especially in terms of protection against serious illness and death.
Below we provide an overview of the number of covid-19 infections after vaccination in Denmark. This inventory will be continuously updated.
The SSI summation follows:
A total of 22,682 have been infected with covid-19 after being fully vaccinated
The Statens Serum Institut has sent a new report in addition to the number of breakthrough vaccinations. It shows that 0.5% of those who are fully vaccinated and where the vaccine should have full effect have been infected with covid-19. 133 of them are dead.
Last edited November 1, 2021
There are more and more people in Denmark who are affected by the so-called breakthrough infections. That is, they become infected with covid-19 even if they are fully vaccinated and even if the vaccine should have had full effect.
This is shown by the latest report on breakthrough infections, which the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) has just sent out. It covers the period from 27 December 2020 (week 52), when the first Dane was covid-19 vaccinated, up to and including week 42.
Read the full breakthrough report .
22,682 cases
According to the report, 24,722 covid-19 infections have been detected in people who have been fully vaccinated. 22,682 of them have been detected after the vaccine should have full effect. They are therefore referred to as breakthrough infections.
This corresponds to 0.5% of all covid-19 vaccinated people in Denmark having now been affected by breakthrough infections. In the previous status report, which went to 12 October, this figure was 0.4%.
“Overall, it can therefore be said that the number of breakthrough infections is increasing. However, this was expected because both the number of fully vaccinated and the infection pressure is increasing ", says department head Palle Valentiner-Branth from SSI. He continues:
"The increasing number of breakthrough infections may also be a sign that vaccine efficacy has declined in some populations."
Among the 22,682 breakthrough infections, there were 862 hospitalizations and 133 deaths.
Few revaccinated are infected
On the other hand, very few have been seen among those who have been revaccinated for covid-19 who have been infected.
By the end of week 42, a total of 77,802 had received a follow-up covid-19 vaccination. Among them, 42 cases of covid-19 have been detected. It gives an incidence among the revaccinated of 54 per. 100,000 vaccinated.
"Against this background, we must say that we have only seen a few covid-19 infections after revaccination in week 39-42," says Palle Valentiner-Branth.
Smaller proportion of infected and hospitalized among the vaccinated
If you look at who gets infected with covid-19, SSI's figures show that the proportion of infected and hospitalized over time - and thus the incidence - is far less among vaccinated with expected full effect than for people who have not been vaccinated. This applies across all age groups.
Finally, SSI figures show that the efficacy of covid-19 vaccines decreases over time if vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna. This decrease is most pronounced in the group of citizens who are 65 years or older.
“In general, it must be said that the vaccines have a high efficiency compared to covid-19-related admissions both for those over and under 65 years of age. Furthermore, we can see that revaccination with Pfizer significantly increases the effectiveness of the vaccines ", says Palle Valentiner-Branth.
Read more
Read the full breakthrough report
The early reports of reduced reinfection risk among those who received the booster shot is certainly good news, but it remains to be seen how long that enhanced protection will last. Early VE (Vaccine Effectiveness) numbers from the original two-shot course bordered on the spectacular, only to see them decline over time.
Going into winter however, having the booster shot is far preferable to depending upon the waning protection of the first round of shots. We'll have a much better idea of its longevity in the spring.
